Page 110 of One Hellish Love

But Kashish couldn’t understand how he was acting so normal, as if nothing had changed. She had expected him to be furious, to lash out at her over her father’s selfish actions. Yet here he was, patient and caring, offering her food.

She turned her head away, refusing to take the plate.

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

“You know why.”

“No, I don’t,” she snapped, finally meeting his gaze. “Your family deserves to know the truth.”

Rudra was about to respond when Anjali entered the room, interrupting them.

“Know what?” Anjali asked, her curious eyes darting between them.

Rudra let out a small sigh and quickly diverted the conversation.

“Kashish thinks I should tell the family that I’m not interested in Ruchi. She doesn’t want me to waste her time here.”

Kashish stared at him, unhappy with his lie, but said nothing.

Anjali, however, seemed to accept it easily.

“She’s right, Rudra. You should tell Daadi how you feel. She loves you too much to not understand.” She then turned to Kashish. “But you, Kashish, need to focus on getting better. Look at you—you’ve lost weight in one night.”

Kashish, eager to escape the conversation, swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“I’m going to freshen up,” she said quickly.

“Be careful,” Anjali offered, but Kashish waved off her assistance and headed toward the bathroom. As the sound of the shower echoed through the room, Anjali turned to Rudra, concern etched on her face.

“She’s been so off since yesterday,” she whispered.

Rudra nodded, determined not to leave Kashish alone, afraid of what she might do next. He had to stay close. He couldn’t let her reveal the truth to his family—not yet. Not ever.

Kashish stood beneath the showerhead, the warm water cascading down her body, easing the tension in her muscles. Yet, her mind was far from calm. Her father’s letter haunted her, its words searing into her soul. Why did it torment her so much while Rudra seemed unaffected? This truth wasn’t just hers to bear—it was his nightmare too. How could he act so indifferent? Why wasn’t he telling the family? Why was he still protecting her? Whatever his reasons, she was done accepting his favors or the Rahejas’ kindness. She had to make some hard decisions, and soon.

She wiped away her tears and exhaustion, stepping out of the shower after thirty long minutes. To her surprise, the food trolley was still there, but Rudra and Anjali were nowhere to be seen. A small note sat on the tray, and even before reading it, she recognized his handwriting.

‘Finish this.’

She got dressed and forced herself to take a few bites of the aloo poori. But everything felt empty inside. The only thought swirling in her mind was how she could possibly repay this family’s kindness. Rudra might keep the truth hidden, but she couldn’t carry this burden of guilt much longer. Once Daadi found out, she wouldn’t hesitate to throw her out, and Kashish couldn’t blame her. She would have to face the consequences of her father’s actions sooner or later.

After some time, Kashish made her way downstairs. Rudra had just finished breakfast, while Daadi and the others were still eating. The moment she appeared, Rudra’s gaze locked onto her, his eyes never wavering.

“How are you feeling now?” Daadi asked. “I heard you weren’t well yesterday.”

Kashish glanced briefly at Rudra before responding in a low voice. “I’m feeling better now,” she murmured.

Rudra wiped his mouth with a napkin, but before Kashish could speak, he stood abruptly, cutting her off.

“We have an important meeting today. We should leave,” he lied, his voice firm.

Kashish shot him a glare, defiant.

“I’m not going to the office today.”

She could see through his attempt to delay the inevitable. He could throw a hundred excuses at her, but she wouldn’t deceive this family any longer.

Rudra’s jaw tightened. “Just so you know, I’m your boss, and I demand your presence at work. No day off for you. Let’s go.”

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